Busch Beer Sponsors Major League Fishing

TULSA, Okla., Feb. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Anheuser-Busch and Major League Fishing today announced that Busch Beer will serve as a primary sponsor of Major league Fishing, continuing the brand's long-standing support of outdoor sports.

Major League Fishing – a partnership involving 24 of the world's best anglers and Outdoor Channel, America's Leader In Outdoor TV – offers high-intensity, real-time competitive events designed to bring high-level challenges to participants and entertainment to audiences. The league's first event, the Challenge Cup, is now available on a series of web-based Pay-Per-View broadcasts via www.majorleaguefishing.com. Television broadcasts of Major League Fishing events are also slated to air on Outdoor Channel in late March.

"We are thrilled to have Busch Beer as a sponsor of Major League Fishing. Busch Beer is an excellent brand with history of supporting outdoor sports and bass fishing, and we believe this is a good fit for our league and Busch Beer," Major League Fishing Commissioner Don Rucks said.

"Major League Fishing is among the premier organizations for bass anglers and is a natural fit for the Busch beer brand," said Brad Brown, vice president of sports & entertainment marketing, Anheuser-Busch. "We look forward to working with the league to introduce new and innovative activations to engage bass anglers and fishing enthusiasts nationwide."

Busch Beer sponsors two individual anglers – Kevin VanDam and Denny Brauer – that compete in Major League Fishing. VanDam, a four-time Bassmaster Classic champion and seven-time BASS angler-of-the-year, believes that a Major League Fishing and Busch Beer "go well together."

"Busch Beer is a great brand with an eye for things that appeal to people who like the outdoors," VanDam said. "You couldn't find a better match than Busch Beer and Major League Fishing."

Major League Fishing introduced its innovative, new format in November during filming of the Challenge Cup, which is presented by Busch Beer.

Utilizing real-time leader boards in each boat and unlimited fish counts, the format forces competitors to keep up with their rivals or face elimination. Adding to the drama is the lack of any practice time or advance scouting as venues are revealed at the last moment. Competitors have called it the most intense form of fishing they've ever experienced.

Brauer, considered for three decades as one of the top competitors in professional fishing, said, "We have a great product in Major League Fishing, and I can't begin to describe how intense my experience was fishing in the Challenge Cup. I'm really pleased that Busch Beer will be going forward with us as we compete in future Major League Fishing events."

Aside from co-developing the league, Outdoor Channel, America's Leader In Outdoor TV, is also the exclusive media partner for Major League Fishing. The company has a 19-year history in delivering on its promise: to provide a complete spectrum of compelling, informative entertainment for the outdoor enthusiast. The network features authentic hunting, fishing, shooting, off-road, adventure and conservation shows with the biggest on-air celebrities in the outdoor industry.

About ANHEUSER-BUSCH

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 48.3 percent share of U.S. beer sales to retailers. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and has been a leading aluminum recycler for more than 30 years. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com.

About MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING

MAJOR LEAGUE FISHING is a partnership of 24 of the world's most talented, influential professional bass anglers and Outdoor Channel. For more information about the new game, with new rules and no limits, visit: www.majorleaguefishing.com.

About OUTDOOR CHANNEL HOLDINGS, INC.

Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OUTD) owns and operates Outdoor Channel, America's Leader In Outdoor TV, and Winnercomm Inc., an Emmy Award winning production and interactive company. Outdoor Channel offers programming that captures the excitement of hunting, fishing, shooting, off-road motorsports, adventure and the Western lifestyle and can be viewed on multiple platforms including high definition, video-on-demand, as well as on a dynamic broadband website. Winnercomm Inc. is one of America's leading and highest quality producers of live sporting events and sports series for cable and broadcast television. Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc. also owns and operates the SkyCam and CableCam aerial camera systems which provide dramatic overhead camera angles for major sports events, including college and NFL football. For more information, please visit www.outdoorchannel.com.

SOURCE Outdoor Channel Holdings, Inc.